BEIJING –听President Vladimir听笔耻迟颈苍听on Wednesday praised Chinese President听齿颈听Jinping for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and invited global investment in the听狈辞谤迟丑别谤苍听厂别补听谤辞耻迟别听which he said could deepen trade between east and west.
Speaking on his聽聽the former Soviet Union since the Ukraine war,听笔耻迟颈苍听thanked the Chinese leader for his invitation and said Russia could play a key role in China’s modern day revival of the ancient Silk Road.
Mr. Putin called Mr. Xi聽his “dear friend” and heaped praise on the Belt and Road Initiative for bringing the world together.
Shortly before Mr. Putin聽starting speaking, a handful of European delegates, including former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, walked out of the room, a Reuters witness said.
“Russia and China, like most countries of the world, share the desire for equal, mutually beneficial cooperation in order to achieve universal sustainable and long-term economic progress and social well-being, while respecting the diversity of civilization and the right of each State to its own development model,” Mr. Putin聽said.
Mr. Putin聽said the BRI fitted with Russia which he said was developing a host of transport infrastructure to criss-cross the world’s biggest country, notably from the听狈辞谤迟丑别谤苍听厂别补听搁辞耻迟别听which runs from Murmansk near听搁耻蝉蝉颈补’蝉听border with Norway eastwards to the Bering Strait near Alaska
“As for the听狈辞谤迟丑别谤苍听厂别补听Route, Russia does not just offer its partners to actively use its transit potential, I will say more: we invite interested states to participate directly in its development, and we are ready to provide reliable ice breaker navigation, communication and supply,” Mr. Putin聽said.
“Starting next year, navigation for ice-class cargo ships along the entire length of the听狈辞谤迟丑别谤苍听厂别补听搁辞耻迟别听will become year-round.”
Mr. Putin, who has attended previous BRI summits, brought a senior delegation from Moscow.
Among the senior Russian officials were Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who is due to visit聽, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, his top oil and gas point man, and Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko.
Also included were Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin economic aide Maxim Oreshkin, Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov, Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov and Igor Morgulov,听搁耻蝉蝉颈补’蝉听ambassador to China. – Reuters
